Truss-bridge



y zsheets-sheet 2. G. M. AVERY.

TRUSS BRIDGE.-

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

COLBY M. AVERY, OE ROCKFORD, ASSIGNOR TO FREDERICK C. AUSTIN, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRUSS- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,680, datedApril 2, 1895.

Application filed January 8, l. 8 94.

.To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, CoLBY M. AVERY, a

citizen of theUnited States, residing at Rockford, in the county ofWinnebago and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Truss- Bridges, of which the following is aspecification.

In a truss-bridge characterized by my invention, inclined end or batterposts, and top ro chords, are formed by tubes. These tubularmembers areconnected' by socket pieces, thereby providing a tubular structure whichcan be easily put together. The end or batter-posts are each formed byaconple of tubes arranged to diverge downwardly. The two tubes of suchposts are coupled at their lower ends by adouble socket piece, and attheir. upper ends are coupled together by alsocket piece which alsoserves to couple them with 2o the adjacent end of one of the topychords.

In this connection I also provide suitable tension rods, and doublebeams. By the foregoing arrangement of tubular truss, I produce anexceedingly strong and simple construcz 5 tion, and avoid the numerousbars and plates of iron riveted together by small pieces, as commonlyfound in prior bridges.

By spreading the batter-posts at their lowerends, I provide a powerfulbracing against 3o both wind and water, and secure great. stiffness anddurability. I Each tube employed in this truss isdesirably formed of asingle piece" of metal rolled into tubular form and welded along theseam, and if desired I can insert 3 5 smaller tubes within the maintubes and secure them in place by washers, thereby further strengtheningthe structure without increasing the diameter of the main tubes.

Further matters of improvement are here- 4o inafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings,-Figure l represents in perspective a trussbridge embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section through one of thepiles. Fig. 3 is a section through one of the double cross-beams. Fig. 4shows in perspectivealonger bridge having intermediate panel-posts.

As a preferred arrangement, the foundation at each end of the bridge isformed by a set 5o of piles consisting of seamless metal tubes A,

Serial No. 496,117. l (No model.)

which are driven into the ground'to a suitable depth and then lled withcementor concrete as indicated in Fig. 2 in which a is understood todenote a filling 0f such character. By such arrangement the piles can bereadily driven to any desired depthinto the ground,

`and then conveniently filled so as to render a pony-truss havinginclined end or batter posts B, top-chords C, and lower chords D. Eachend or batter-post is formed byacouple of connected tubes b arranged todiverge downwardly from their upper ends. Said 7o tubes are connected attheir upper and lower ends, respectively by socket-pieces E and E. Eachsocket-piece E is adapted to provide a double socket for the lower endsof the two tubes of the batter-posts in which Way, said tubes are firmlycoupled in pairs at their lower ends. Where piles A are employed, caps aare fitted upon the top ends thereof, and the socket-pieces E aresecured upon cross-beams `or rails F, which latter are in turn secured8o upon the caps a.

The upper chords C consist of tubes, and these are united at their endswith the upper inclined batter-posts by means of socketends of thepieces E. Each socket-pieceE is adapted to provide a triple socket,whereof two of the sockets are allotted to the two battenpost tubes,while the third is allotted to an end of one of the chord-tubes C.

Where a longer bridge is desired, the truss 9o can be further braced byany desired number of panel-posts F as in Fig. Il. These panel posts areconstructed like the batter posts B and are at Atheir lower ends securedupon the intermediate cross-beams F by means of socket-pieces E',adapted to form double sockets for the ends of the tubesf in the sameway that the corresponding socket pieces at the end of the bridge areconstructed. With such arrangement the tubular sections of the roo upperchord C illustrated in Fig. 4 are connected together by a socket piece Gadapted to form six sockets, two of which are allotted to the tubularchord section, while the remaining four, are allotted to the upper endsof the tubes F of the panel posts. These tubes F are understood todiverge downwardly and are ottherwise constructed like the tubes of theend or batter posts B.

The suspension rods H have their upper ends conveniently secured to thesocketpieces, while their lower ends are connected with the cross-beams.It will be seen that a truss of this character involves extremesimplicity and great strength and that the tubes which are rolled andwelded so as to be seamless, can be made of any desired thicknesswithout objectionably increasing their external diameter; also, that thetruss does not involve the use of members forming recesses or anglesinaccessible to paint and hence by calking the joints between the tubesand socket pieces with lead, the entire superficial area of the postscan be painted so as to avoid rust and impairment of the truss. Thetruss can also be extended to any desired length and can be easily andrapidly put together, and when thus put together it will becomparatively light and exceedingly strong.

My invention also contemplates separating the cross-beams as bestillustrated in Fig. 3 in which a couple of cross-beams F are made ofchannel iron and bolted together and at the same time separated bywashers, whereof one of said washers fis illustrated in Fig. 3. Vithsuch arrangement the suspension rods can pass down between the channelirons. This separation of the channel irons permits dust from theplatform portion of the bridge to pass down between them, instead ofaccumulating, and in this way I prolong the life ofthe bridge it being awell known fact that where the cross-bars are set closely together, thedust will accumulate upon them and not only tend to rust the parts, butalso rot the planks overhead.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A truss-bridge having singletop-chords,

duplex end batter-posts, and socket pieces connecting the said chordsand posts.

2. A truss-bridge having single top-chords, duplex end batter-posts,duplex panel-posts and socket pieces connecting the said chords,batter-posts and panel-posts.

3. A truss-bridge having single-top-chords, duplex downwardly inclinedend battenposts, and socket-pieces connecting the said chords and postsat the point Where the latter dip.

4t. A truss-bridge having single top-chords, duplex divergent endbatter-posts, and threeway sockets connecting the said chords and posts.

5. A truss-bridge comprising a pair of single top-chords, divergent endbatter-posts, three-way socket-pieces connecting the said chords andposts, tubular piles having their upper ends provided with caps,cross-beams secured to the caps, and socket-pieces secured to thecross-beams and to the lower ends of the batter-posts.

6. A truss-bridge comprising a pair of single top-chords, divergent endbatter-posts,

three-way socket-pieces connecting the said chords and posts, tubularpiles having their upper ends provided with caps, cross-beams secured tothe caps, socket-pieces secured to the cross-beams and to the lower endsof the batter-posts,and duplex panel-posts connected with the top-chordsand with intermediate cross-beams.

7. A truss-bridge comprising a pair of single top-chords divergent endbatterposts, three-way socketpieces connecting the said chords andposts, tubular piles having their upper ends provided with caps,cross-beams secured to the caps, socket-pieces secured to thecross-beams and to the lower ends of the batter-posts, six-way socketscarried by the chords, and duplex panel-posts secured to the lattersockets and to the intermediate cr0ss beams.

COLBY M. AVERY.

Witnesses:

BETA M. WAGNER, CHAs. G. PAGE.

